The Breeding Insight Phenomics Coordinator will lead
use-case development and specification to integrate breeding team phenotypic
data collection with a software engineering team as a part of a national
initiative to extend the application of genotypic information to routine
development of specialty crops and animals. Breeding of specialty crops and
animals has lagged behind the major crops and livestock, but these specialty
species together have equal economic value to the major crops and provide lots
of nutrition and flavor to diets.One of
the avenues for improving this situation is to accelerate breeding efforts by
integrating the use of phenomics (trait analysis) with genomics and natural
variation to increase the rate of genetic gain and create novel healthy,
nutritious, and sustainable specialty crops and animals.

The Ithaca-based Phenomics Coordinator will be a highly visible person
central to the success of Breeding Insight and report to the Breeding
Insight project director and lead coordinator. The Breeding Insight project
integrates a team of breeders (based at research locations across the US) with
a software development team (based in Ithaca).

Characteristic Duties
and Responsibilities/Anticipated Division of Time

The Coordinator:

·Coordinates with breeders at 5 breeding
locations across the US (South Carolina, Oregon, West Virginia, New York, and
Minnesota) to understand their breeding objectives, phenotyping needs, and
manage project deliverables. 30%

·Work with PIs and breeders at USDA centers and
universities to develop genomic breeding strategies, specify use-cases that
clearly spell out the computational and interface requirements of the breeders,
and form project plans to develop key capabilities and integrate Breeding
Insight into the breeding programs. 25%

·Overall, combines these communications into a
regular process coordinated with the development cycle implemented by the
software team to ensure a well-defined roadmap of new methods and features. 25%

·In communication with breeders, designs and
helps execute evaluation experiments and analyses of features introduced to the
Breeding Insight on which follow-up requirement documents are based. 20%

Requirements

The
coordinator will be recruited based on core competency in several different
areas, including remote sensing, high throughput phenotyping, bioinformatics, quantitative
genetics, and applied plant breeding. Above all, the coordinator must have
demonstrated exceptional communication skills. A PhD in field robotics, breeding,
physiology, biological informatics, quantitative geneticsor related
field and three years’ postdoctoral or equivalent post PhD experience is
required. Experience with multiple crops or animals, and experience working with
diverse teams are preferred. Knowledge of the use of information technology in
breeding data collections methods are beneficial.

Supervision Exercised

No supervisory responsibilities.

This position is a two-year term appointment with the possibility of extension contingent upon continued funding.

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